Youssoufa Moukoko he could just be the last player on the list. The last one with a different age than the one declared. After the interview with his father, who admitted a difference of at least 4 years between his date of birth and the one certified by the documents, the Nice striker’s case is causing discussion in Germany and Europe. In case of confirmations, thechild prodigy of German football, however, he would be in good company.
The Moukoko case
Meanwhile, the context. Moukoko, on loan to Nice from Borussia Dortmund, is currently at the center of controversy due to his age. The words of his father Joseph, who in an interview in Germany spoke like this, made the news: “Aware of the criminal liability of a false sworn declaration, I declare that he is not the biological son of me and my wife Marie Moukoko. Nor was he born on November 20, 2004 in Yaoundé, Cameroon I got him a fake birth certificate in Yaoundé I went to the embassy and got him his passport and then took him to Germany as my own son was actually born on 19 July 2000. We made him four years younger. In fact, he was born on 20 November 2004.”
From Taribo West to Luciano
His would therefore be another case of discrepancy between real and declared age in the world of football. Perhaps one of the most sensational, considering the many precocity records broken by the boy of Ghanaian origins (who, just to mention one record, At 16 years and 18 days he is the youngest debutant in the Champions League). Before him, the case of Eriberto-Luciano. The Brazilian midfielder arrived at Bologna, then moved to Chievo, became one of the faces of Del Neri’s miracle team and finally decided to reveal the truth in 2002, explaining how his age was 27 and not 23. And that the choice it was made to pass a trial with Palmeiras. Hence, the change of name from Eriberto to Luciano, to symbolize rebirth. Another well-known name is that of Taribo Westremembered in Serie A for wearing the shirts of Inter and Milan. For the Nigerian, the difference of around 12 years was discovered by the president of Partizan, who bought him thinking he was 28 years old, later discovering that he was 40.
The other cases
Many other episodes are linked to African football, such as that of Abédi Peleat Torino from 1994 to 1996. Born (officially) in 1964, his case is still mysterious today. Three-time African Ballon d’Or winner Pelé may have falsified his documents for a couple of years to take part in a youth tournament. And again in Italy, one of the cases that has been most talked about in recent years is that of Joseph Minala. The Cameroonian, who passed through Lazio’s youth team as a 1996 player, was at the center of the news some time ago due to doubts about his age, with much criticism for his “not seventeen-year-old” appearance. Even in his story, however, only suspicions and no confirmation. And again Anthony Yeboah with a reverse case compared to the previous ones. It was the Ghanaian, former Leeds and Hamburg striker, who said he was two years younger. The reason? Age of majority was one of the requirements to play professionally in Ghana.